Why don't You call Me Brother?
by KaibaGirl17
Summary: Little Marik asks Odion a question the older boy isn't quite sure how to answer. One-shot, but may extend if requested. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I was sitting and the laptop and wondering what to write for an update when suddenly this idea just popped into my head. I hope you guys like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters, Kazuki Takahashi does.

...

Marik sighed as he stared up at the moonlight, the only outside light that ever entered this world of his, a world deep beneath the desert sands.

"Master Marik, you should be in bed," a voice behind him spoke.

The five-year-old did not have to turn around to know the voice belonged to his older brother, Odion.

"Odion, why do you do that?" Marik asked as he stood up and let the older boy lead him to his room and help him prepare for bed.

"Do what, Master?" Odion looked puzzled.

"Call me that," Marik frowned. "Why don't you call me 'brother' like Ishizu does?"

Odion looked down, his green eyes narrowed slightly.

"It's not my place to do so," he answered after a few minutes.

"I don't understand," little Marik pouted. "You're my big brother."

"It's late," Odion said hastily. "Your father will be angry if he finds you're still awake. We'll talk more tomorrow."

The child nodded, satisfied for now with this answer.

Odion sighed as Marik's amethyst eyes closed and the boy drifted off into a peaceful sleep in just a matter of minutes.

The older boy knew he could never discuss such a thing with the boy he was tasked with guarding. He did see Marik as a younger brother and loved him as such, but Mr. Ishtar had made it painfully clear that he would never see Odion as anything but a mere servant. Odion could never explain the reasons behind this to Marik.

Besides, by morning the five-year-old would forget all about it.

Right?

...

...

I hope everyone enjoyed that. Let me know.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Let me begin by apologizing for my absence, I've been super busy prepping for the holidays, so much so that this is literally the first time in over a month that I've had a chance to just sit down and work on my stories. That said, I decided to continue this story since you all seemed to like it. Thank you very much to lalalei, HS, white pedal, and BalletEmpress for all of the wonderful reviews on the previous chapter. Enjoy this new chapter, everyone.

Disclaimer: I may have been gone a while, but I still do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters, Kazuki Takahashi does.

...

Odion sighed as he lay on his pallet. Despite being Mr. Ishtar's stepson, he wasn't allowed to be shown any kind of familial treatment, not even a bed.

Marik was breathing softly, a sign that the child was now asleep. But his question still lingered in Odion's mind.

"Why don't you call me 'brother' like ishizu does?"

"Your father would never allow such a thing. I am nothing more than a servant."

Those were the words that Odion knew he would have been expected to say, especially if Mr. Ishtar had indeed been present when the question had been asked.

The older boy stood over his master. The little boy was snoozing peacefully, his purple irises hidden behind tanned eyelids, his light-colored hair brushing against them.

Without even realizing it, Odion's right hand placed itself upon the sleeping child's cheek. Marik, as though sensing the hand belonged to his older brother, leaned closer to it and sighing in contentment.

"Odion..." the boy murmured. "Stay here with me, big brother."

Big brother...

Odion felt his heart swell at those two words. But he was not and would never be Marik's big brother. Marik was the heir to the Tomb Keepers and Odion's place in life would forever be to serve as his protector. There had been a time that he might have been considered eligible for the Tomb Keeper's ritual, then he would have been an Ishtar in all but name. Then Marik had been born.

However, Odion's life wasn't the only one that had been dramatically effected by the birth of the long-awaited heir. Marik's older sister Ishizu had lost her place in the family hierarchy. From then on, she would always take second place to her little brother.

But despite this, the only remaining female Ishtar didn't resent her younger sibling in the least. In fact, she doted on Marik with all the affection that a mother would. A mother Marik never had but so desperately needed.

In fact, it seemed like in addition to being his sister, Ishizu seemed to fill the motherly role as well for Marik. Just as Odion tried to act as protector, servant, and even brother to the younger boy.

Marik was a small child, though it would not be long before he grew up and became a Tomb Keeper. Odion himself dreaded that day, but not for the reasons he had when Marik was born. Now that he knew what the ritual required, he dreaded the pain little Marik would be forced to endure. But there would be little either he or Ishizu could do. In fact, all they would be able to do was what they had done from the time they received their respective duties: care for Marik as best they could and hope the rest would follow suit.

...

...

Well, I do hope everyone enjoyed that. I am a bit sad to say that that was the final chapter for this story. But, if you enjoyed it, then I hope you will be pleased to hear (or in this case, read) that I will be writing a few more Ishtar siblings fics.

And if you did in fact enjoy this, feel free to let me know.


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